LE movements, ECS and test runs 2025

AFAIK the turntable at Wansford is still out of use.

 

I understand it is useable, but with a down rated weight limit at the moment. It's 70ft at least, so has turned everything up to a Duchess in the past.

You can turn lighter things, like coaches and tank engines, but not pacifics...

I'm not sure what the specific weight limit at present is.

 

That's my understanding too - question is, why?

As an aside, does the Whitemoor Triangle still exist?

(As I type, it's just passed Fletton Junction a minute late so I'm off to Railcam - certainly a lovely sunny day at XOM.)

 

Yes - 60007 went via March on its run down from Crewe to Wansford last year to turn the loco ready for its workings with Steam Dreams.

 

Well, 70000 has arrived and for those who find such things important, it's facing Peterborough.

Picture from Railcam.

 

There is a 60mph path appeared on RTT for Thursday, 5V42 1645 Rugby CS to Southall WCR. Looks like 45212 has been fettled, hope all goes to plan and well done to all those involved in getting her sorted.

 

Small correction: 5V42.

 

Whoops! Original now corrected - thanks.

 

Apparently not as pics on Facebook this morning show that Britannia has been turned using the turntable at Wansford to now face west

 

The commuters waiting on Hartford station get an unexpected treat as ex-LNER Gresley A4 4-6-2 No. 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley rushes through on 13th March 2025 in the early stages of a positioning movement from Crewe to Grosmont on the NYMR.



Cheers,

 

SNG passing a sunny Brock working 5Z07 0701 Crewe H.S. to Grosmont 13/03/25

 

In lovely sunshine for a change, A4 class No. 60007 'Sir Nigel Gresley' works 5Z07 through Keerholme towards Hellifiel and on to Grosmont

 

https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/nvr-wagon-group-updates.495611/page-26#post-2919389

 

Thanks to an early "heads up" via a PM I was able to arrange my domestic chores and cat minding duties to allow me time to watch SNG's move to the NYMR. All I needed now was a dry and sunny day. Well it was dry, and forecast to remain so, but the sun was a bit more problematic - now you see it, now you don't! The 18C of the weekend was very much a thing of the past, a couple of mornings had seen overnight frost on the cars. Today dawned marginally warmer 3C but with a cool north easterly breeze. Today I would be following my grandma's prescription for venturing out on a cold day. "Tha mun put summut on thi eyd, get some wool on thi back an allus nip downt yard." (For those of you struggling with the "Gobbin dialect" (as spoken by the older natives of Oswaldtwistle aka Gobbiners), grandma's words of wisdom it translate as, "You should/must wear a hat and a woollen sweater or coat and always go for a pee before leaving home!"

Some of the younger and/or fitter amongst the photographers and videographers would probably aim to see SNG before and after the Hellifield pathing stop. I settled for watching the loco just after it left Hellifield. It was a relatively uneventful journey and I arrived in good time and checked progress on RTT. SNG had left Carnforth but had yet to appear at Settle Jn, After a few minutes RTT showed that SNG had arrived at Hellifield and was waiting in the loop for the Carlisle to Leeds service to overtake it. The Leeds train was due out at 10.10 with SNG following 15 mins later. At 10.10 I headed down to the bridge, shown on maps as being on Malham Road but NR's plate on the bridge declares it to be, Otterburn Road Bridge.

The service train headed east in pale sunshine. As I prepared the sun repeatedly came and went. I was first to arrive but eventually 4 photographers joined me on the bridge. Sir Nigel's imminent departure was heralded by a short blast on the chime whistle followed several seconds later by a full blown blast (lovely) and around 40 seconds later the loco appeared from around the bend. The sun went in as 60007 gathered pace and "swooshed" towards us. Would there be another whistle? Sadly no! The loco headed off into the distance, the photographers wandered away and Oswald packed up before heading back to the car. 5C (but feeling cooler) & 1E. I do recall being at the same bridge in the early 1980s and watching Sir Nigel heading east but with a full train, then running as 4498 in garter blue with raised numerals - my favourite livery.

When I returned home Maisie and Mrs W were playing chase the ball; Maisie "hides" in one of several locations then someone rolls a ball past her and Maisie charges after it like a hooligan and knocks it around until the ball is lost. At this point her assistant has to retrieve the ball, the game then repeats again and again until Maisie decides otherwise.

 

mobile clip through Church Fenton today -
60007 en route to NYMR 13.03.2025

 

Opinions differ.

 

I thought you were going to say you would be catching it somewhere around Leyland on the way north and then somewhere around Hellifield on the way south, those both being usual locations for you.

 

Be a special for Liverpool fans going to Wembley for Sunday's Carabao Cup Final